old neighbor

I keep thinking about my old neighbor, Tessa. she will be the
only person's name I reveal in this journal. she used to live in
the same cove that I do. Tessa was very odd. she lived with her
foster parents, who liked her but didn't love her, I could tell
that even as a child. my mom told me she had been sexually
abused, and her mom was addicted to drugs when Tessa was born.
Tessa also had a mental disability. she was so nice to us. one
time, I remember she came over and my dad answered the door, and
she only came to tell us that she had made a 100 on her reading
test. she had a sticker and everything. she was so excited. I
didn't think it was a big deal because I took reading tests all
the time and always got 100s, but she was so happy. we would go
over to her house and play dolls, and she would always want the
dolls to have sex with each other, which was weird to me, but now
I understand, knowing her circumstances. once, I was getting off
the freeway with my mom and she saw two homeless people on the
side of the road. my mom never gives food or money to people on
the side of the road, she tells us to say a little prayer, but
this time she did. she thought they were Tessa's parents. I'm not
completely sure what they said when she asked, but I feel like it
was no. she gave them a banana. I had forgotten about that for
years now, until I saw a homeless man a few weeks ago and wanted
to give him the chick fil a I had for school that day. I wonder
what happened to Tessa. her foster parents gave her up when their
biological kids agreed to come back (they had left them because
she was mean or something). she was so sweet, and I would hate to
learn that something bad happened to her. I hope Tessa is alive
and happy.